Linking chain stitch machine



Aug. 9, 1966 D. MATTHEWS LINKING CHAIN STITCH MACHINE Filed Feb. 11,1963 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 I/VVEN T02 DENNIS MA Til/EDS WZZMJQM A TTOM VS.

Aug. 9, 1966 D. MATTHEWS 3,265,021

LINKING CHAIN STITCH MACHINE Filed Feb. 11, 1965 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 I.VENTOI? DENNIg MA TTH W A TTORNEYS- 9, 1956 D. MATTHEWS LINKING CHAINSTITCH MACHINE 4 Sheets-Sheet :5

Filed Feb. 11, 1963 I IV VE N 702 lIFlVN/S MA 77716105 Aug. 9, 1966 D.MATTHEWS 3,265,021

LINKING CHAIN STITCH MACHINE Filed Feb. 11, 1963 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 ll6INVENTOQ DENNIS MA T THE WS ATTORNEYS.

United States Patent 3,265,021 LINKING CHAIN STITEH MACHINE DenisMatthews, Sntton-in-Ashtield, England, assignor to Matthews &Birkharnshaw Limited, Sutton-in-Ashiield,

England Filed Feb. 11, 1963, Ser. No. 257,715 Claims priority,application Great Britain, Feb. 12, 1962, 5,358/62; Jane 6, 1962,21,817/62 1 Claim. (Cl. 11225) This invention relates to an improvedlinking machine needle in or for a linking machine of the type in whicha yarn control needle is operative on a joining yarn in stitchingtogether two or more overlapping portions or loops of fabric by chainstitching.

In linking machines of this type the needle usually comprises a stern ofstraight or curved form, with one end portion adapted for releasableattachment to a reciprocated or oscillated machine operating member, andthe opposite fabric-engaging end portion tapering substantially to apoint for passing to and fro through the fabric portions or loops, andthere being an eyelet in the fabricengaging end portion through whichthe yarn is threaded.

As is well known a needle of this type is only capable of operation forcarrying with it, during its passage through the fabric portions orloops, a narrow loop of the joining yarn, it being necessary to provideseparate looping means, usually a thread-looping element, for the narrowloops to be formed into loops of a knitted chain by which the fabricportions or loops are joined together.

An object of the invention is to provide, in or for a machine of saidtype, a needle which is of such construction as to be operable in theformation of the joining knitted chain without the cooperation ofseparate looping means such as the usual thread-looping element.

The invention provides a linking needle having one end suitable forreleasable attachment to an operating member in a linking machine, anopposite end tapering substantially to a point as in the usual linkingor sewing needle for ease in penetrating fabric portions or loopsthereof, and adjacent the latter end yarn-receiving and loop controlmeans for the passage of one loop through another as in knitting machineor crotcheting needles. The yarn-receiving and loop control means may beas in a knitting machine latch needle, there being a pivoted latch onthe stem adapted for opening and closing a yarnreceiving recess. Morespecifically the recess is formed immediately behind the tapered endportion and the latch is arranged for closing over the recess and ontothe wide end of the tapered end portion. The recess may be partlyundercut into the tapered end portion to form a hook with which thespoon of the latch has releasable engagement.

The needle may be formed from a rod of metal of the type usuallyemployed for such needles, the stem being formed of circular crosssection, one end portion of the rod being tapered substantially to apoint by shaping to spear-head like form, a recess being partly undercutinto the spear-head like portion, and a groove being formed in the stemand a latch being pivotally mounted in the groove, for the recess to beopened and closed by displacement of the latch.

Alternatively the needle, with one end tapering substantially to a pointmay have a slot formed in it adjacent to the tapered end to provide ahook and adapted for passage of yarn into and out of the hook and torallowing retraction of the needle through a loop with the loop ridingover the hook.

The slot may be inclined to both the major and minor axes of the needlestem so that a portion of one side wall of the slot is level with thetip of the hook. Alternatively Patented August 9, 1966 the slot may beof helical form to provide for a loop n'ding over the hook.

The foregoing and other features of the invention set out in theappended claim are incorporated in the methods hereinafter particularlydescribed in greater detail by Way of example with reference to theaccompanying drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is a side view of parts of a needle according to the invention;

FIGURE 2 is a perspective view of parts of the needle in its initialform;

FIGURES 3 to 5 are side views of parts of the needle at various stagesin its production;

FIGURE 6 is an enlarged side view of the hooked end of a modifiedlinking machine needle according to the invention;

FIGURE 7 is an under-side view of FIGURE 6;

FIGURE 8 is a side view of a modified needle end;

FIGURE 9 is an underneath view of FIGURE 8;

FIGURE 10 is a cross sectional view of the needle end on line 55 inFIGURE 8 and showing, in broken lines an old loop on the needle;

FIGURE 11 is a plan view of part of a linking machine showing one of theneedles in operation;

FIGURE 12 shows an action of a yarn control finger in the linkingmachine;

FIGURE 13 is an enlarged cross section of the needle similar to FIGURE 9but showing fabric on the needle;

FIGURE 14 is an enlarged View of a further modified needle according tothe invention;

FIGURE 15 is another enlarged perspective View of part of the needleshown in FIGURE 14; and

FIGURE 16 is a cross sectional View of said needle part.

In the example of FIGURE 1 there is provided a linking machine needle inthis example having a circular cross sectioned stem 1 and having an endportion 1a adapted for releasable fitment to an operating head in alinking machine substantially as is usual for linking machines.

At the opposite fabric-engaging end of the needle there is an endportion 1b which, as shown, is of elongated form tapering gradually to apoint, the tapering being for the usual purpose in a linking needle ofease in operation of penetrating fabric portions or loops to be stitchedtogether.

The needle is also provided with yarn-receiving and loop control meanssubstantially as in a knitting machine latch needle, there being arecess 1c formed in the stem, in the present instance behind the taperedend portion 1b. and a latch 1d of the spoon-ended type of knittingmachine latch needles.

More specifically the recess 1c partly undercuts, by a concave portion1e, into the tapered end portion 1b, and a groove 1 is formed in thestem beyond the recess 1c, and the latch la is pivotally mounted by apivot pin 1g in the groove 1 The groove 17 may be of arcuate form and ofsufficient length to enable pivoting of the latch 1d between one openposition indicated in full lines, in which it extends from the pivot pin1g along the stem away from the recess 10, to another closed positionshown in broken lines, forming a bridge over the recess 1c by extendingfrom the pivot pin lg to the tapered end portion 1b.

The provision of said yarn-receiving and loop control means renders theneedle capable in its passage to and fro through the fabric portions orloops of receiving yarn and chain-stitching by the passing of one loopthrough another, without the aid of a separate looping element.

More specifically the tapered end portion 1b of the needle enables theusual ease of penetration of the needle through the fabric portions orloops, and in all other respects the needle is capable of being operatedto function substantially in the same manner as a knitting machineneedle.

More specifically in use the latch 1d is opened, when the needlepenetrates the fabric portions or loops, by action of an old chain loopin the recess 10 of the needle, and the latch passes not only beyondthis old chain loop but also beyond the fabric portion or loops; at thisstage the joining yarn is received in the recess 1c and upon retractingthe needle, the latch 1d is closed over the recess 10 to retain thejoining yarn therein; continued retraction of the needle causes it todraw a new needle loop of the joining yarn through the fabric portionsor loops and also through the old chain loop on the needle stem until aposition is reached where the old chain loop is cast-otf the needle overthe newly drawn needle loop to complete the cycle of operations.

In a convenient method of manufacturing the needle it is first providedin the form of a square sectioned rod as indicated in FIGURE 2.

The needle is then formed with its circular sectioned stem as shown inFIGURE 3 and one end is shaped to be of spear-head like form asindicated in FIGURE 4, this portion being formed to constitute thetapered end portion 1b of the needle.

Next the recess 1c is undercut partly into the tapered end portion 1b asindicated in FIGURE 4.

Finally as shown in FIGURE 5 the arcuate groove 1 is formed in theneedle stem and the latch 1d is pivotally mounted in the groove by thepivot pin 1g.

Referring now to the modification of FIGURE 6 a linking machine needleis provided comprising a square sectioned spring steel wire or rod stem11 having an end portion 12 tapering substantially to a point P andforming a downwardly directed beak-like tip 13.

In the stem 11 behind the end portion 12 there is a hook 15 provided byforming a slot 16 in the stem.

The slot 16 consists of a lead-in portion 16a which is inclined inwardlyof the stem towards the pointed end thereof and a portion 16b extendingfrom the inclined portion 16a along the length of the stem 11 towardsthe rear end thereof.

The inclined lead-in portion 16a of the slot starts at the under-side ofthe needle such that the hook 15 is disposed substantially to one sideof the needle, FIGURE 7, with the portion 16:: of the slot extendingdiagonally across the under-side of the needle from the hook towards thepointed end thereof, and with the tip 15a of the hook adjacent thebottom edge of the needle, FIGURE 6. The other portion 16b of the slotextends diagonally of the needle at the opposite side to that of thehook and at a slight angle to the inclined lead-in portion 16a of theslot at the hook side of the needle as shown in FIGURE 6.

In this example the slot has straight sides, being formed by sawcutting. In the example of FIGURES 8 and 9, the hook 15 and slot 16 areof helical or twisted form such that the part 161) of the slot inclinesdownwardly from the hook 15', which is substantially half way up thethick ness of the needle at the side where the hook is disposed. Theother side of the part 16b of the slot inclines upwardly from the hook15' as indicated in broken lines at 160.

FIGURE 9 shows that the portion 16a of the slot extends diagonallysubstantially as in the construction of FIGURE 7.

In use of either of these needles for knitted chain stitching, theneedle with an old loop on its stem is advanced to receive yarn Y fed toit as shown in FIG. 7, at the angle shown across the slotted under-side,the yarn extending from a feeder 17 (FIG. 11) at the non-hook side ofthe needle across to the hook side thereof and through the fabric F tobe joined, into the old loop OL. Theyarn is urged upwardly against theunder-side of the needle so that it enters the lead-in part 16a, 16a ofthe slot 16, 16'. In the instance of the straight sided inclined slotFIGURES 6 and 7 the yarn is clear of the tip 15a of the hook 15immediately it enters the slot. In the instance of the helical ortwisted slot the yarn is guided by the slot into a position clear of thetip 15a of the hook 15'.

The result in each instance is that upon retraction of the needle thehook rides under the yarn and the yarn is drawn rearwardly through thefabric F to be joined and through the old loop 0L on the needle stern.

It is important to note that the hook 15 will not foul the old loop OL,in the instance of the straight sided slot, by virtue of the portion 16aextending diagonally across the needle, and in the instance of thehelical or twisted construction, by virtue of the tip 15a of the hookbeing disposed rearwardly in relation to the old loop as shown in brokenlines in FIGURE 10. In addition in neither instances will the hook 15 or15' foul the fabric by virtue of the underneath part of the fabricextending round the linking points 18 as shown in FIGURE 13.

FIGURE 11 illustrates the yarn feeding position with the feeder 17feeding the yarn Y from the inner side of the fabric F and the needlebeing operated from the outer side of the fabric F.

It is important to note that the upward disposition of the yarn Y in theinclined, helical or twisted slot 16 ensures that when the needleretracts, the yarn is held upwardly clear of the next adjacent fabricholding pointed pins 18.

FIGURE 12 shows the yarn controlling guide 17 with the arrows A and Bindicating that it has an arcuate upward motion to urge the yarn intothe slot of the needle and an arcuate downward motion to position theyarn ready for the advancing needle to cross over it.

Operation of the needle and of the yarn guide may be effected by themeans disclosed in U.S. patent application Serial No. 257,719, but atopposite sides of the fabric.

In a convenient method of making the helical or twisted construction,the slot 16 or 16 is stamped out of the stem with the part 16b or 16bparallel to the stem and then relative twist under heat is elfectedbetween the stem and the end portion thereof through an angle of sayabout 45.

In another method of forming either of the needles, the slots maybeformed by spark erosion.

Conveniently the inclined construction may have a slight twist in thestem and/ or imparted to it by suitable mechanism.

It is to be understood that it is within the scope of the invention :forthe needle to be employed for any purpose where it is required for a newloop of yarn to be drawn through an old loop. An example of this is in asewing machine where it is required for a needle to produce knittedchain stitching. This could be effected conveniently by use of a needleaccording to the invention operated from the underside of the fabricwith yarn being fed at the upper side thereof.

In the further modification shown in FIGURE 14, the needle is ofsubstantially square cross section and is formed with a circular crosssectioned pointed tip 16a. In addition there is formed near the pointedend 116a, a slot 116b which as shown in FIGURE 14 terminates in aninclined end 116c. FIGURE 15 shows that the slot inclines to thelongitudinal axis of the needle, and FIGURE 16 shows that the slotinclines also -to the transverse axis of the needle, so that the effectof forming the slot is to provide an underneath slot 116d the tip 116eof which [is off-centre so that, as shown in FIGURE 16, it issubstantially level with the lower port-ion 116 of the opposite wall ofthe slot.

The arrangment is conveniently such that as shown in FIGURE 15 the slot116!) allows entry of yarn Y which is lapped about the needle (asdisclosed in said U.S. patent application) so that the yarn is caught bythe hook 116d to be carried along with the needle in its retraction.

FIGURE 16 shows that the effect of the tip 116e of the needle hook andthe opposite portion 116 being substantially level with each other isthat this prevents an old chain loop OCL (said US. patent application)from entering the slot 1116b and being caught by the hook, so that theyarn Y can be drawn as a loop through the old chain loop as required.

What I claim is: 1

In aknitwear chain stitch linking machine having a plurality of pointedpins and a linking machine needle, a standard needle operating memberarranged to reciprocate said needle from a retracted position at oneside of the fabric to an extended position at the opposite side of thefabric, and to retract the needle, and yarn feeding and guiding means onsuch opposite side of the fabric to feed and guide yarn to said needleprojected through the fabric by said operating member, said linkingmachine needle having an elongated longitudinally arcuate andlongitudinally smoothly streamline stern formed with a shank portion atone end for releasable attachment in said standard operating member, theopposite end of said stem having an elongated portion gradually taperingto a point suitable to penetrate loops of overlapped fabric portions tobe chain stitched to each other, said elongated stem portion beingimperforate; and yarn and loop control means on said needle including arecess formed in said stem inwardly of said imperforate elongatedportion and inwardly from a surface of said stem for releasablyreceiving new yarn from said yarn feeding and guiding means, said recessbeing contoured at its outer end to define a hook facing away from saidpoint and having a laterally outer surface included within the forwardlyextending peripherally conforming projection of the longitudinallystreamline surface of said stem inwardly of said hook, said laterallyouter surface enabling passage of a loop on the needle smoothly over therecess; said stem being formed with a longitudinally extending grooveextending longitudinally inwardly from said recess, said groove beinglongitudinally arcuate and having an outwardly facing concave surface;and a latch pivotally mounted at one end within said groove on atransverse axis intermediate the ends of the latter; said latch having aspoon-shaped free end, and having a first position, substantially withinsaid recess, in which said spoon-shaped end overlaps said hook and asecond position, substantially out of said recess, in which saidspoon-shaped end extends toward said shank portion of said stem; wherebysaid needle may be used for chain stitch linking in a knitwear chainstitch linking-machine without requiring a complex looper.

References fiited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 6,025 1/1849Helbert 223-102 X 299,305 5/1884 Weed 223-102 X 1,611,306 12/1926Feldman 223102 1,714,928 5/1929 Sigoda 1 12198 2,041,674 5/ 1936 DeSpain 22310'2 X 2,264,234 1 1/ 1941 Bell 112--25 2,699,053 1/ 1955 Noe66-'121 2,781,957 2/ 1957 LeSzen 223-402 FOREIGN PATENTS 8 11,307 8/1951 Germany. 461,876 2/1937 Great Britain.

JORDAN FRANKLIN, Primary Examiner.

G. H. KRIZMANICH, Assistant Examiner.

